Later That Night
by The Riverboat Cap'n
Summary: Set after prom in StD. Two stories. Angsty, but no trauma
1. Ron

Later that Night: Ronby The Riverboat Cap'n

Note: In this universe, KP & Co. are owned by the mouse. In truth, KP isn't owned by anyone, & any suggestion otherwise will get you knocked into a wall. Hard.

Ron walked through his front door, not entirely sure what had just happened. He remembered everything, he just couldn't process it right now. He'd sleep, and things would be clearer in the morning

"Ron? Is that you?"

sigh So much for sleep, at least for the next fifteen minutes. "Yeah dad, it's me"

"Are you hurt?"

"Not really. Just a headache and some rope burns. I'll be fine," after a brief pause, "I think this may be it."

"No more adventures?"

"No more adventures."

"Good, you do good things son, but this has cost you so much. Sprains, strains, stitches, burns, you didn't even get to go to prom . .. ."

"Um . . . I kinda did, dad."

"You made it to prom?"

"Yeah."

"That's wonderful. How was the food?"

"I don't know. We didn't have time to eat anything."

" 'We'? You found a date? Ronnie, that's great! What was her name?"

"It was Kim, dad."

"Kimmie? I thought she was going with . .. what was his name?"

"Eric. It turns out he was one of Drakken's robots."

"Oh," silence. "Well, at least you there to cheer her up. Who was crowned King & Queen?"

"Don't know. We didn't get there 'til after that."

"After that? But the only thing after that is . . ." His dad broke into a grin. "Ronnie did you and Kim dance the last dance together?"

"Yeah."

"Then why do you look so down."

" 'Cause that's not all we did."

"Huh . .. .Oh."

"Dad, I'm kinda freaked out."

"Why?"

"What if this goes bad? Does that mean we can't be friends anymore? What do we do now? Is there stuff we have to do? Why pick me? What have I ever done for her but make jokes and trip over my pants? Rufus has helped her more than I have. I'm too short. I can barely lift a cinder block . .. ."

"Ronald Stoppable, Stop That Right Now! I understand you're scared but that's no reason to say such terrible things about yourself."

"How can you understand?"

Mr. Stoppable rubs his nose "Oy," sighs. "I can understand because I spent most of the night after my first date with your mother in the bathroom nauseous."

"Doesn't sound like a fun date."

_"After._ Wiseguy. Hey, at least you're still able to make jokes, so it can't be as bad as all that. Get up a minute."

"Awww, dad, I'm wiped."

"C'mon, just get up a minute."

sigh "Alright."

Ron gets up and father & son walk to a living room mirror.

"What do you see?'

"I see you & me."

"So do I, but look closer. What do you see?"

"Nothing. Just two regular guys."

"Two regular guys?"

"Yeah."

Mr. Stoppable kneels and begins to roll up one of Ron's pant legs, exposing a pinkish section of skin below normal looking skin.

"What is this?"

"Skin discoloration."

"From"

"From the chilly pup quick freeze machine."

He stands up, takes off Ron's cummerbund, and unbuttons his shirt to the chest.

"These are new. What are they?" he asks, pointing to a chapped and bloody patch of skin on Ron's stomach.

"Rope burns from tonight. I get it dad, okay? On top of being a spazz, I'm a scarred-up freak."

"Ronnie, does it bother you to have these scars?"

"Not really. Why?"

"Good question. Why doesn't it bother you."

"Because . .. " voice wavers. Tears start to form.

"It's okay, son. You can say it."

"Because it means she doesn't have the scars. Everything that happens to me doesn't happen to her. Oh God, dad, I don't want her to get hurt . . . " Overwhelmed, Ron falls to the couch and starts crying into his forearms. Mr. Stoppable sits next to him and pulls him into an embrace.

"Hey, hey, it's okay. I didn't mean to do this. All I meant was . .. . Do you feel like you're unworthy of her. That you have to earn her somehow? Ron nods yes.

"Even if you had to," Mr. Stoppable brings Ron's head up and looks him in the eyes, "WHICH YOU DON'T, my point was that you already have. Son, there aren't many grown men who'd put themselves through what you do, much less any other sixteen year old kids. And even if all you've ever done is bring Rufus," brings Ron to eye level again, "Which isn't even a tenth of what you've done, by the way, but even if it was, you've done it every time Kim's needed you. And now . .. neither of you may have expected to feel like this for the other, but you found her, now go and get her."

Ron raises up, wiping his eyes, "It's not that simple, dad?"

"Do you love her?"

"Yes."

"Will you ever betray her?'

"No."

"It's that simple. Like I said, go get her. But first, go get some sleep. It's almost 3:00."

"Okay. Thanks, dad."

"It's what I'm here for."

Ron heads up the stairs. Mr. Stoppable walks towards the kitchen.

"Dad?"

"Yeah, Ronnie?"

"I love you."

"I love you too, son"

"Good night."

"Good night."

Mr. Stoppable pours a glass of milk and sits at his kitchen table. He has never been the most faithful of Jews, but he still says a prayer that this new phase in his son's relationship with his best friend brings only good things to both of them. Kim had been as much a child to he and his wife as Ron had, and the thought of maybe, just maybe, someday being able to call her daughter brought tears to his eyes. His wife would be thrilled at the news, but he would let Ron tell her in his own time. For now, he would take his own advice and go to bed.

footnote: There will be a "Later that Night: Kim." It may be part two, but chronologically will be happening later in the night. Comments welcome.


	2. Kim

Later That Night – Kim by the Riverboat Cap'n

Note: KP & Co. were created by God & their respective parents in time frames ranging from the early 1930's (Nana) to the early 1990's (the Tweebs). Their adventures are transcribed across the dimensional barrier by various personnel of the Walt Disney Co. For an explanation of how this is possible, refer to various pre-"Crisis on Infinite Earths" DC Comics comic books.

note the 2nd: There was a small typographical error on part one. This story is intended to take place _earlier _in the evening, before the Ron story.

And now, on with the show.

Kim spent a few minutes sitting on her steps, trying to process. For someone who can do anything, coming to terms with how things went down tonight was proving to be a challenge. For something that's supposed to feel good, this was really hurting.

"Kim? You want to come in?"

The question brought Kim out of her head and back to reality, but it still startled her. "Huh? Oh. Mom. Hi."

"Hi Kimmie. So, you want to come inside, or do you want to stay on the steps and get that dress dirtier?"

Feeling just dazed enough to be suggestible, at least when the suggestion was coming from someone she knows won't hurt her, Kim gets up, dusts herself off, and goes inside to the kitchen.

"So, why were you sitting on the steps mooning? You aren't that indecisive."

"Things have changed."

"I know. I saw the news. Poor Drew. Maybe some time . . . away will help him sort himself out."

"That'll make one of us."

"Again, not you. What happened tonight?"

"They kidnapped Eric, and Ron & I had to go rescue him . . . "

"Sounds normal so far."

". . . anyway, we get there, get past the ninjas, and find Eric . . ."

"Still no drama."

"If I wasn't being interrupted so much I could get to the drama!"

Mrs. Possible froze, taken aback. But, she eventually said, "Okay, honey. I'm sorry. I'll try not to interrupt again. Go on."

"I'm sorry I got snippy. Anyway, we found Eric, and I ran to him, and . . . and . . ."

"And what?"

"He was a bio-droid!"

"Oh honey, I'm so sorry."

"That's not it. He set a charge off inside himself, and when I came to, Ron and I were tied to these pillars . . . "

"Which you got loose from . . . "

"Hey! You said no interrupting!"

"Sorry, sorry." This was obviously bothering her. "If you want to skip some stuff, you can."

"No, I'm almost there. Anyway, we're tied to these pillars, and I'm beating myself up for falling for a goop sack like Eric, and Ron says I should stop beating myself up, that there are lots of real boys that like me . . .

Mrs. Possible raises an eyebrow, "Boys like Ron?"

sigh "Boys like Ron."

"So . . ."

"So we got loose, shut the Diablos down, and went back to the prom."

"You went to the prom with Ron?"

"Yeah."

"So? Kimmie, that's not that surprising. You've known Ron since you both were four. . . "

"No, mom. I didn't go to the prom with Ron. I went to the prom _with_ Ron."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning it wasn't just a friend thing."

"Are you saying your junior prom was your first date with Ron Stoppable?"

Kim nods. "Yes."

Mrs. Possible starts tittering, covering her mouth to at least try to hide it from her daughter.

Kim, infuriated, asks "Why are you laughing?"

"Be"snort"because your father owes me twenty dollars! Hahahahahhaha!"

"What?"

"He . . . he . . . " inhales "He swore up and down Ron wouldn't make a move until senior year. I love your father to death, but he never was a very good gambler."

"You made a bet about me?" Kim says, stunned but more or less back to normal.

Mrs. Possible is still smiling but calming down. "You're right, you're right. Bad time to bring it up." Exhaling. "So, why is this bothering you?"

"Because I feel the same way he does."

"Kimmie, that normally doesn't bother people."

"_Normally,_ girls can't get their boyfriends killed."

"Oooohhhhh."

"Yeah. When it was . . . the way it was . . . it was different. He was just a part of the team. He had a job to do, and he did it, at least as far as Drakken and the others were concerned . . . "

"What about Lord Fisk, or this Gil person from camp."

"Special cases. They didn't target Ron until they realized who he was, and that was because of him . . ."

"Not because of you."

"Right." Kim's voice lowers, and she starts pacing around the counter. "What happens if Duff Killigan decides he can throw me off by launching a birdie at Ron's stomach? Or if Shego decides to play Freddy Krueger, or . . ."

Mrs. Possible stands up and pulls Kim into an embrace. "Aww, honey. The 'what if?'s are a part of it. You can't care about somebody and not be concerned about their safety. If you can imagine these, think about what must go through Ron's head."

"Through his head . . ." Kim starts to tear up.

"Okay, bad choice of words. I meant imagine what he must have been thinking about on all those missions."

"Oh God."

"Not pretty, is it?"

"So not pretty."

"But it may not matter much. Kimmie, do you think Ron knows what he's doing when he's with you?"

Kim thought for a moment. Despite the whining, despite the jokes, despite how near impossible it is to get him to shut up for five minutes, "I do. He's better than people give him credit for."

"In more ways than one. Has he ever tried to interfere in your love life?"

"No."

"Have you been happy with the boys you've dated?"

"Yes." This one didn't take much effort. Josh was a little on the pretentious side, but he was a sweetheart. And if Eric hadn't been a jell-o bot . . .

Who made jokes all the time. Just like Ron.

Who drove a scooter. Just like Ron.

Who could put down Bueno Nacho food like he was coming off of a fast. Just like Ron.

Kim pushed out of her mother's arms. "Oh my God! Eric was Ron! A little more smooth, maybe, but they were exactly the same, except . . ."

"Except for Eric being perfect?" Mrs. Possible interrupted.

Kim didn't notice. "Yeah, **too** perfect."

"Another thing that's part of it." A small smile bloomed on Mrs. Possible's face. "Your father slurps his coffee. He has since we met, and it's irritated me just as long." Sighs. "But, when he's at a conference, I miss hearing it. I miss it so much I could cry. I have, a few times. Irritating habits have a habit of growing on you. But I think you know that already. Hey, look at that, I made you smile."

Kim was smiling, but had zoned her mother out around the time she sighed. She was thinking of traipsing all over Europe with Ron, looking for leGoop. He'd been so convinced that slime would make him perfect; she just wanted to grab him by the ears and yell

"Screw perfect, I'll take you as is," Kim whispered.

"You say something, sweetie?" Mrs. Possible asked.

"Yeah. I said you were right."

"Hm. Teenage daughter agrees with mother. You CAN do anything."

"Except get over this fear."

"Oh. Well, don't worry about that one. When it's right, that's the only thing that fades."

"'Night, mom."

"G'night Kim."

Simultaneously. "I love you."

"Jinx. Guess I owe you a coke."

"Or twenty dollars."

"Okay, okay, first date's my treat. Now go to bed before I start thinking of other expenses."

"Like what?"

"Well, traditionally, the bride's family pays the cost of the wedding. . . "

"MOOOMMMMM! So not what I'm thinking!"

But as mother and daughter made their way up the stairs, the same words started making their way through their minds.

"Kim Stoppable, Kim Stoppable, Kim Stoppable. .. "


	3. Ron and Kim

The notes from the beginnings of the 1st two chapters cover everything, I think.

Ron headed up the stairs as his dad headed into the kitchen for some milk to settle his stomach. He knew his parents supported him, but he also knew why his dad was prone to having an upset stomach. Still, he was glad his dad wasn't feeling well tonight. If he hadn't been sick he wouldn't have been up, and if he hadn't have been up they wouldn't have been able to talk.

He had to admit, the talk helped. A lot. But a few hours sleep was still the best looking thing he could think of at the moment. "Well," he thought to himself, "maybe not best, but definitely top five."

But as he approached his bedroom door, something felt weird, like there was another presence in the house. He stopped a moment, and then threw the door wide open, hoping to use the surprise to draw the intruder out.

Nothing. Thinking he had probably just overreacted, he went on into the room, finishing the job his dad had started on his shirt.

When he saw Kim asleep on the bed. She had changed into her capris and camo top, and snuck in through the window. "God she is so beautiful. Whatever I did to deserve her, I have to have done it in a past life, because I KNOW I didn't do it in this one. Hey, what's that?" He had noticed a sheet of paper under her hand. He picked it up slowly, trying not to wake her. "A letter."

"Dear Ron,

Cat's out of the bag, huh? It feels like it should be the most natural thing in the world, but it's still kind of scary. I talked to my mom tonight, and that helped a little, but not much. I don't know what could happen if I keep this in, but I know it can't be good, so I'm just going to say it: I'm scared of you getting hurt out there. I'm not saying I don't think you can cut it because I know you can, but I'm still scared. I always have been, but now it's like every nightmare I've ever had about losing you just got shot full of heart-shaped steroids.

But this isn't me backing off. You don't get off that light. You're just going to have to learn to live with a girlfriend who's with you, get this, BECAUSE you keep company with strange rodents, have horrible table manners, and can't shut up even for just five minutes.

Just kidding. I love Rufus, your table manners are fine, and I don't mind that you can't shut up for even five minutes, because you can't go two without making me smile.

When I'm with you I don't have to be Kim Possible: Hero or Kim Possible: Kung Fu Queen. All I have to be is Kim Possible. No adjectives, just me.

I'm in. All the way.

Kim"

Ron stood there, going over the letter again in his mind. He didn't know how he felt about it. On the one hand, he had proof that Kim felt the same way he did. He wanted to jump up and down and scream "KIM POSSIBLE IS MY GIRLFRIEND!" at the top of his voice.

But she was hurting. Because of him. He might not have done anything to her, but she was still hurting because of him.

A voice that seemed to be both his and not his, in his mind and all around, said "Not because of you."

"Yes, because of me. She's worried I'll get hurt, so she's worried because of me. Who's there?"

"She isn't worried about you getting hurt."

"Then what's she scared of? Show yourself!"

"She's scared of not being able to prevent you getting hurt."

"She thinks she isn't good enough?" Ron asks, stunned by the idea.

"Yes."

"Oh Kim." Ron kneels beside his bed, putting him at a face to face level with Kim. "I've never worried about getting hurt. I knew the job was dangerous when I took it. Buck Buck Buck Buck." laughs. "I'll be fine. Don't worry." Addresses the voice. "Thank you, but you never answered my question. Who are you?"

"You know, Stoppable-san."

"No, I don't"

"You do; in time you will embrace it. For now, however, there are other things that need embracing."

Ron turned back to Kim, and saw that her face was scrunched up and her upper lip was starting to quiver. Ron had seen this before. His Kimila may be fierce, but she isn't vicious, and doesn't have a mean bone in her body. But to do what she does asks her to do mean things. It's always cost her, and this is how she's paid. Not after every mission, but the badder the fight, the bigger the price. From the looks of her cheeks this was going to be bad. Before, he'd always jest let it go. Not happily, but he thought of it as "just something Kim has to do."

Now, though, this thing was happening on his bed, on his turf. And he'd be damned if anything happened to Kim on his turf.

Climbing into bed, Ron put his right arm around Kim's waist. With his left hand he began stroking her hair, grimacing with rage every time he grazed her cheek. Then he started singing. Kim always razzed him for knowing this song; he hoped it would help.

_Oh, why you look so sad?  
Tears are in your eyes  
Come on and come to me now  
Don't be ashamed to cry/ __I can see you through__  
__'Cause I've seen the dark side too  
When the night falls on you  
You don't know what to do  
Nothing you confess  
Could make me love you less_

_I'll stand by you  
I'll stand by you  
won't let nobody hurt you  
I'll stand by you_

_So, if you're mad, get mad  
don't hold it all inside  
Come on and talk to me now  
Hey, what you got to hide?  
I get angry too  
Well I'm a lot like you  
When you're standing at the crossroads  
and don't know which path to choose  
Let me come along  
'Cause even if you're wrong_

_I'll stand by you  
I'll stand by you  
Won't let nobody hurt you  
I'll stand by you  
Take me in, into your darkest hour  
And I'll never desert you  
I'll stand by you_

_And when . . .  
When the night falls on you, baby  
You're feeling all alone  
You won't be on your own_

_I'll stand by you  
I'll stand by you  
won't let nobody hurt you_

_I'll stand by you  
Take me in, into you darkest hour  
And I'll never desert you  
I'll stand by you  
I'll stand by you  
Won't let nobody hurt you  
I'll stand by you  
Won't let nobody hurt you  
I'll stand by you_

It helped. Her back stopped heaving into his chest, her breathing steadied, and she snuggled closer.

"Mmmmm . . . Ron." She said in her sleep.

"Kim." He didn't need to say anything else. His left hand stopped stroking her hair and moved under the pillow to seek hers out. He kissed her gently on the neck, and drifted off to dream with her in his arms.


	4. Drakken and Shego

Y'all know the disclaimer. I don't need to say anymore.

Thanks to Knightof Faerun for spurring the previous chapter into existence. Reviews have been good, but more importantly, it'd made the opening line for this bit even funnier.

This one's game for "Later That Night." I've said everything I have to say about what happened after to Ron, Kim, & now Drakken and Shego. I may come back someday to LTN folks like Monique, Brick, Wade, & Bonnie (although, personally I think "The Truth of the Matter" covers BonBon better than I could), but I'm rambling. Hope you folks enjoy.

Later That Night - Drakken and Shego by The Riverboat Cap'n

"You locked them in a room together," Shego, chained against a van wall, glowered at Dr. Drakken.

"And how many times have we done that before?"

Sigh "Okay, let me rephrase: AFTER having me tell her that her 'perfect boyfriend' was electrified jell-o, you had me lock her in a room with a boy whose feelings for her have building to critical mass ever since you had the _genius_ idea to plant an emotion-controlling chip on her neck that turned her into a bouncing love puppy toward the boy in question. What are you an evil doctor _of_, proctology? Is that why most of these ideas seem pulled out of your ass?"

"Shego, remember that talk we had about hurting with words?"

"You're lucky words are the only thing I'm hurting you with, Brainy Smurf."

"That was just uncalled for . . ."

"WE WON, YOU IDIOT! We won, and we didn't even have to lift a finger, much less risk having one broken. But NOOOOOOOOOO, you had to unleash the incredible growing red things!"

"Was that a double entendre?"

Muttering. "I should have stayed with the Seniors. Junior may be dumber than a box of hammers, but at least he showed some spark."

"What was that?"

"Nothing, Dr. D, nothing."

"How do you know how the Stoppable boy felt?"

"He had a Freudian slip when he was looking for a library boo . . ." stops, blinks. "Waitaminute. You know his name?"

"Of course I know his name. What kind of godfather would I be if I didn't know my goddaughter's friends, "voice lowers, sadly, "few as they are."

"You're her godfather?"

"As far as I'm concerned."

"So, you aren't her godfather?"

"Not officially, no."

"You're not her godfather."

"Semantics!"

"Oh God. Are you telling me I've been getting my ass kicked every three weeks for TWO YEARS so you can play 'Unca Drew'?"

"How good is she?"

"What?"

"How good is she?"

"She's good. Better than my brothers, better than Du. But NOT better than me."

"Okay, okay, calm down, Shego."

"You think she's better than me. Unbefrikkinlievable. We get stomped every time we go out, and it doesn't bother you. I bust my hump to get the scraps you need to build idiotic device after idiotic device and you're only doing this to live out some sick daddy fantasy."

"_Uncle,_ not Daddy. I'd never do that to Jimmy."

"'Jimmy'? The guy hasn't been your friend for fifteen years and you still call him 'Jimmy'?"

"He was my friend. I don't make friends easily, or haven't you noticed that the only people who hang around are being paid?"

"Maybe nobody likes you."

"That hurt."

"Kind of supposed to, Dr. D."

"DAMN IT, SHEILA, I'M NOT KIDDING! THAT HURT!"

Shego blinks. "Wow. Guess it did. You went civilian on me, Drew. I'm stunned."

"Nobody in their right mind would name their kid Shego, it had to come from somewhere. I did some digging."

"Obviously. But I still don't get why you're so loyal to the guy."

"Yeah, well, a friend's a friend. Even you."

"What do you mean, even me?"

Drakken rolls his eyes. "Shego, I've developed a chemical that makes people so open to suggestion, they'll do anything anyone asks of them, and it can get in through the pores. There's no way to stop it. I've developed a microchip that can control human emotions. What possible reason could I have to not us them on the hired help?"

Shego, after a quiet moment. "None, unless you cared about them . . ."

"And **I'm** the dumb one."

"Are you saying you . . . "

"Not like that, but I'd like to think we're at least friends."

"Okay, friends. So . . . what do you make of them?"

"Who?"

"Kimmie and Stoppable."

"I already told you how I feel about Kim. I don't have any problems with the boy. Why?"

"So you don't care about the way they were looking at each other as br'er van driver here hauled us off?"

Blink. "Well, that' a surprise. I can't believe it took this long. I would have thought the moodulator chips would have pushed them over the edge."

Shego, stunned and a little mad. "You did that on purpose?"

"What the mistletoe didn't work."

"Oh, man! Has this whole year been you playing cupid?"

"What? No! God, Shego, I'm concerned, not obsessive." Smiles. "They do make a cute couple, though."

Shego smiles, agreeing. "They do. He hurts her, there'll only be a puddle left by the time I'm done."

"Shego, I'm surprised. I'd almost think you cared about them."

"Eh. They're irritating. Just like my brothers."

"Touching but that level of violence won't be necessary. He won't hurt her any more than any other boy would."

"True. And if he did, Stoppable would probably beat himself up better than I ever could. Literally."

They both laughed, thinking of the times the boy had tripped, stumbled, walked into something, and generally made both of them wonder why he wasn't wearing a helmet at all times.

Shego: "So, how are we getting out of this one?"

"Eh. Why worry about it right away. The tropics are hell in the summer, and Leavenworth has central air."

"So . . . we're on break?"

"We're on break."

Coming soon: KP-Little Moments


End file.
